Based in South Canterbury, New Zealand Phunkey Photography provide lifestyle family portrait photography and boutique wedding photography throughout the country.
Where did it come from? How did it start? and why weddings and families??
The short story:
I’ve always loved weddings. Just like most little girls I’ve dreamed of a Cinderella wedding for as long as I can remember – Prince Charming, a horse and cart, the ball… During my time studying fashion I got really into wedding and ball gowns. I’d spend hours pouring over wedding magazines and designs and then drawing up my own. I realised that fashion wasn’t for me, so I moved to graphic design. I barely noticed that in the background I was slowly but surely teaching myself photography, doing portrait sessions with friends children and shooting landscapes day after day. My desire for anything wedding related was still there – I was single at this time and so didn’t have a wedding of my own to obsess over. I continued along in my own little bubble for a while, shooting families and second shooting weddings… and then one day it hit me.
I’m a family and wedding photographer, and I love it!
The long story:
There was never really a beginning of the business, and I never saw myself as ‘good enough’ to be self employed. After High School I studied a variety of creative subjects including fashion, graphic design, web development… and photography. I was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety in 2007 which was a long and hard road. I chose to push through counselling rather than take medication as the medication levelled out my moods too much – for sure I wasn’t getting awfully depressed but I never felt like I was on top of the world either… And I need that feeling – it drives me.
I have had an interest in photography since I was a child, and when I was studying fashion my fiance bought me a bridge camera with manual shooting modes. He was a dairy farmer which left me with plenty of time to explore
Dunedin armed with my camera and my dog. I taught myself the technicality of
photography and got to know my camera inside-out and backwards.
When I split up with my fiance and moved to
Christchurch I continued to shoot families and children as well as continuing with counselling and my study. I was trying to find something to do with my life as I was convinced I was not good enough to be a photographer, and certainly not smart enough to build a business. I worked, managing a busy
photolab in Christchurch for a year and I fell pregnant with Jake. After my relationship with Jake’s father broke down I left my work and moved home to
South Canterbury with my parents.
I remember walking out of the house one day, down the steps off the deck. I stepped onto the gravel and it occured to me,
“Why do I care so much? Why does it matter what other people think of me? If I am happy with who I am… Then thats all that matters!”
It sounds cliche but I physically felt like a load had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt free and able to move. I was energetic and confident for the first time in around 10 years.
I was able to step back, for the first time and look at the bigger picture of my life, I realised I was already in business. Granted, I wasn’t doing a great job of it but neverthless, I was charging people for
portraits and photography, I was already in business.
I second shot my first wedding at
Terrace Downs close to
Mt Hutt.
And I was infactuated. I had to have more! I can’t describe it – the feeling of shooting a wedding. You’re surrounded by intense love and happiness, beauty and elegance. You work, and you work hard. It’s fast paced, exhilarating and just
so much fun!!
Phunkey Photography – It’s all about you.
